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Indonesian Gado-Gado Salad

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I first tasted this vegetable salad at a party hosted by an Indonesian couple some years back and it has been a favorite ever since.  Gado-gado is a popular dish in Indonesia and served in many Indonesian restaurants around the world. What makes it particularly special is the peanut sauce dressing – in authentic Indonesian cooking, the sauce is made with the right balance of sweet, sour, spicy, tangy and salty that perfectly complements all the vegetables. Because some of the ingredients used to make the sauce can be hard to find, here is a simpler version. You can also add proteins to the salad such as diced chicken or tofu.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

3 cups cabbage shredded or coarsely chopped

3 eggs, hard-boiled and sliced

3 cups bean sprouts (preferably fresh)

2 1/2 cups green beans, cut and blanched (or use the canned variety)

2 medium potatoes, boiled and cut

1 cucumber, sliced

For the Peanut Sauce Dressing:

1 cup peanut butter (preferably creamy)

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp hot sauce (Sriracha or any Asian hot sauce)

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp lime juice

1 tsp soy sauce

3 tbsp water

Once you have prepared all the vegetable ingredients, arrange them on a platter. Start with the cabbage as a bed for all the other vegetables and pile them up on the plate with the sliced potatoes and eggs on top.

In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the sauce and stir until everything is well incorporated. Taste and adjust according to your preference. Pour the peanut sauce dressing over the entire salad (it should cover all of the vegetables).

Photo Courtesy of: Banana Leaf Philippines

Pork Kway Teow

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Kway teow is a stir-fried noodle dish that is popular in Asia. According to Wikipedia, it was originally served to laborers because it was a cheap source of energy and nutrients. Nowadays, it is a popular dish that is often served in countries like Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

This is the basic kway teow recipe, but you can liven it up by adding other  ingredients like Chinese sausage, fried egg or different meats and vegetables.

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

400g fresh wide rice noodles

4 tablespoons peanut oil

600g minced pork

1 medium brown onion, sliced thinly

2 cups bean spouts

20 g stick fresh lemon grass, chopped finely

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated palm sugar

2 fresh small red thai chilies, chopped finely

1 cup  fresh coriander, coarsely chopped

 

Soak the noodles in a large heatproof bowl of boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Separate the noodles using a fork and drain. Set aside.

Heat half of the oil in a large saucepan or a wok under medium heat. Stir-fry the pork for 8-10 minutes or until it is cooked. Transfer the pork to a plate.

Place the remaining oil on the wok. Once it is hot, sauté the onions, bean sprouts and lemongrass for 3-5 minutes or until they become translucent.

Combine the pork, noodles, sugar, lemon juice and soy sauce in the saucepan or wok. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes or until the noodles are warm. Remove from the heat and add the chili and coriander. Mix well. Serve immediately.

 

Photo Courtesy Of:  avlxyz

 

Kani Salad

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Kani refers to imitation Japanese crab sticks. It does not contain any crab; instead it has flavoring.

Kani salad  is a common appetizer you can find in most restaurants that serve Japanese food. It is a personal favorite. It makes a good sandwich filling as well.

 

Ingredients:

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and julienned

1 carrot, peeled and julienned

Lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

2 fresh ripe mangoes, thinly sliced

150 grams of kani kama (imitation crab sticks), pulled apart into thin shreds

1/3 cup of Japanese mayonnaise

Tobiko (orange-colored flying fish roe), optional as it is quite expensive

 

In a bowl, combine the julienned cucumbers, carrots, mayonnaise. Mix well. Place a bed of lettuce on a plate. Place the kani salad on top of it and add the sliced mangoes and tobiko. Garnish with shreds of kani/crabsticks if desired. Serve cold.

 

Photo Courtesy Of: shmuck